3rd Person POV
"Given our recent influx of monsters, Sheriff Donovan and I have decided we need to take drastic action." Dr Saltzman tells the students in the assembly room. "Please give him your full attention."
Donovan stands at the podium
"Like Dr. Saltzman was saying, local girls Dana Lilien and Sasha Stoteraux didn't come home last night." Donovan says. Pictures of the two girls are passed around. "Dana sometimes skips town for a few days to party, but this is a first for Sasha."
Donovan steps away from the podium
"Thank you, Sheriff Donovan." Dr Saltzman says. "Now while the knife is away with Dorian and things are quiet on his end, it won't hurt to assume the worst. If Dana and Sasha...Now, I'll need a few of you to volunteer to go to Mystic Falls High under the guise of an exchange program meant to improve relations between our schools, which, unfortunately, is necessary, given recent events. Now, I give you permission to compel them, to gather materials form locator spells, because any information we can get will make all the difference."
Lizzie stands up
"Well, I guess that I can set aside my differences with Dana for a day, because that is what heroes do." Lizzie says. "So... I volunteer as tribute."
Sadie rolls her eyes
"I'm in." Kaleb says, standing up
"I'm in, too." MG says, standing up
"Same here." Sadie says
"I'd like to help." Hope says, standing up
***
Sadie walks down the hallway to her room
She hears Landon and Raf talking
She walks over, knocking on the doorway
"Raf?" Sadie asks
"Yeah?" Raf asks, looking up as Landon puts on a jacket
"Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone, please." Sadie tells him. "The pack can be a little...rough for newcomers. Be careful."
"Thanks, Sadie." Raf says
Dr Saltzman stops in the doorway
"Landon. You have a minute?" Dr Saltzman asks. "I think you might be of some use today."
***
SADIE: Going to an actual school was definitely going to be annoying. Even though we don't actually have to attend classes and such, it's still annoying to be at the school
The supernaturals step off the bus in Mystic Falls
The high schoolers around are chatting, walking, talking...being normal teenagers
Lizzie and Landon join the group
"Sorry. I just had a... a flashback to my freshman year here." Landon says, coming to a stop where the others are
"Girls are missing, so get your wedgie trauma in check or leave." Lizzie tells him
"He's fine." Hope says. "Let it go."
"Okay, here's the deal." Lizzie says. "Landon, you talk to any of the people you still know from when you went here. Sarah, I really don't care what you do, just don't screw this up."
"Hey, don't talk to her like that." Hope tries
"Hope, you try to not deliberately alienate the entire student body while the rest of us save the world." Lizzie finishes
"This isn't a contest, Lizzie." Hope says
"You're right." Lizzie says. "It's a mission for a hero and her league of...whatevers." She says, looking to MG and Kaleb
"Yeah." Kaleb scoffs. "Screw that. I work alone."
Kaleb walks away
MG, I need your compulsion skills." Lizzie says. "Would you like to be the Robin to my Batwoman?"
"Actually, Batwoman doesn't have a Robin." MG says
"Metaphor, nerd." Lizzie says. "Let's go."
Lizzie pushes MG and they leave
***
Landon and Hope walk side by side down the hall
Sadie trails behind the two, looking around
"This is the senior hallway, where I spent much of my formative years stuffed in every locker... except this one." Landon says, pointing to a locker. "That one doesn't open On your left, you'll find the bathroom. It's where I had my first kiss with a toilet."
"I'm sorry." Hope snaps, stopping. "Is the fact that I'm not openly hostile to you make it seem like we're back to being friends?"
Hope starts walking
Landon looks back shocked at Sadie
Sadie shrugs
"Uh, sorry." Landon stutters, catching up with Hope, and Sadie follows slowly after them. "Just, I was going for effortlessly natural. But this is all just making me really nervous. Like, the school and seeing Connor and being with you..."
"Shouldn't you be talking to anyone you know?" Hope asks
"That's easier said than done." Landon says. "There is no way Dana's clique is talking to me unless you have a spell that will make me retroactively cool."
"Well, I'll talk to them, then." Hope says
"It's even worse for you." Landon says, stopping. "Trust me. You have no idea how human high schools work. You're the new girl. Might as well be radioactive."
A cheerleader walks over to the two
Sadie stops, leaning on the lockers
"I'm sorry. You look traumatized." The cheerleader says. "Is this loser bothering you?"
"He keeps trying to get me to buy his mix tape." Hope says
"Gross." The cheerleader says. "Well, we're going to lunch. You hungry?"
"Famished." Hope says
Hope and the cheerleader leave
Landon looks back to Sadie
Sadie walks over to him and pats his shoulder
"Wow." Sadie says. "Rough."
Sadie starts walking down the hall again
Landon looks around
"Unbelievable." Landon mutters
He runs up to catch up with Sadie
"Hey, wait." Landon calls after her
Sadie turns to see him catch up to her
"Yes?" Sadie asks
The two walk down the halls
"What you said to Raf earlier?" Landon asks. "About not doing anything stupid...what was that about?"
"Well...Raf is here to stay, right?" Sadie asks and Landon nods. "Jed, our alpha, can be...hard on new people. Jed's gonna make sure Raf knows his place, follows pack rules, obeys the alpha, that kinda stuff."
"Is that what happened to you?" Landon asks
Sadie looks to him silently before pressing her lips together tight and nodding
"I came when I was 12." Sadie says. "He bullied me a little but a pack always looks out for their own. They accepted me eventually. It's like a right of passage."
"That's stupid." Landon says
"No, it's not." Sadie says, shaking her head
"It only sounds stupid cause you're not a wolf." She continues. "Me and the wolves have a certain...understanding now."
"Which is?" Landon asks
"I follow the pack and Jed is my alpha." Sadie says. "But I'm also a witch, which they respect and is why I'm not required to be with the pack 24/7."
"So you compromised." Landon says. "Sounds pretty good to me."
"Yeah, well, it's not easy being a hybrid." Sadie says. "There's only...2 others I think?"
"Wow." Landon says
***
A bell rings and Sadie looks around
"I don't like that sound." Sadie says under her breath
"What?" Landon asks
"Nothing." Sadie says
SADIE: My ears are wired for tracking, which makes them more sensitive to certain sounds. Plus, with all the people surrounding us, it gets easy to be nervous. And with nerves comes more sensitivity and...to put it simply, sensory overload is a bitch.
"Hey." Hope says, joining up with the two with cat ears on her head
"Let me guess." Landon says. "Pigtails spilled her guts and confessed to kidnapping Dana and Sasha. Case closed."
"Her name's Cheryl, and not exactly." Hope says. "But she did invite me to try out for the cheerleading team."
"Who are you right now?" Landon asks. "And what is that thing on your head?"
"It's a gift... from Cheryl." Hope says
"You're better than this, Hope." Landon says
"Relax, Eeyore. Dana gave it to her. It's potential locator spell material." Hope tells him. "Plus, even though Sasha and Connor are dating, Dana was sleeping with him behind her back."
"Yeah, some clue." Landon says sarcastically. "Everyone at this school knows Connor's a dick."
"Come on, Landon." Hope says. "Adultery, missing girls... It's like every TV show that old people watch. A crime of passion, I think they call it."
"I know Connor." Landon says, stopping. Hope stops in front of him and Sadie stops next to him "He's made my life a living hell, but he's not a killer. Trust me."
"Trusting you is what got us into this mess in the first place." Hope says. "Look. There he is." Sadie and Landon turn to look. "So do you want to play good cop or bad cop? Because I don't think emo cop is a thing."
"Oh, very funny." Landon says. "But while you were off making friends Sarah and I did some sleuthing of our own. Scarf in Virginia heat?" Landon points out the girl walking down the hall with a scarf. "Sounds like a lead, I think they call it.
Landon, Hope, and Sadie walk down the hall after her
The three follow her outside to where she meets up with Kaleb
He's about to bite her when Hope stops him
"Let her go." Hope says
Kaleb rolls his eyes
"Date's over. It's not me, it's you. Now forget this ever happened and get back to class." Kaleb tells the girl
"Great. Hope's already here." Lizzie groans, walking over to the group
"Thought we were cool, bruh." Kaleb says to MG
"Don't bruh him." Lizzie defends MG. "Second place or not, we know you killed Dana."
"Wait. Dana's dead?" Hope asks
"Dr. Saltzman said they found her dead from a vampire bite." MG says
They all look to Kaleb
"I didn't kill her, so y'all need to get the hell outta my face." Kaleb says
Kaleb speeds away. Lizzie throws a spell in his direction and he stops, holding his head and groaning
"Come on, guys, let's go." Lizzie says. "It's hero time."
"To the Blondemobile." Hope says
The five walk over to Kaleb
"Not so fast, Kaleb." Lizzie says, pulling her spell from him and he takes his hands away from his head
"I told you, all I did was feed." Kaleb says. "Torture me all you want to, but my answer's gonna remain the same... because I didn't kill Dana."
"Uh, he's right." Landon says
"What, so you're a mind reader now, Landon?" Lizzie asks him
"Call it a hunch." Landon says, nodding over to the direction of the woods where Dana is crawling out of
Landon helps Dana to the bench where she talks to the group
"We were on the way to graffiti that mill at your school." Dana says. "It was a harmless prank. But then I got snatched. Next thing I remember, I woke up in a ditch. So enjoy it while you can, Lizzie. I'm sure I look like crap." She feels her neck. "Oh, my God. What is that?"
"It's... Someone help me out here." Hope says
"It's the mother of all hickeys." Lizzie says. "You're fine, Dana. You're just a-a little slutty."
"I don't even like any of you." Dana says, standing up and walking. "I should be talking to the cops."
Landon stands in her way
"I can't let you do that." Landon says
"Ad somnum." Hope says and Dana falls to the ground
"I mean, she can't let you do that." Landon corrects
"So you didn't kill her." Lizzie says to Kaleb. "You freaking turned her?"
"Turned her? You think I want to sit and listen to that for all eternity?" Kaleb asks
"Well, someone did, and that means that we transitioning vampire here." Sadie tells them
"So what are we gonna do with her?" Hope asks
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Hope you enjoyed that chapter!!
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Next chapter up NEXT MONDAY
-MC
Stay safe in quarantine